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Restaurant of the Week: Angel’s Place

This was shaping up to be a poor week for new-to-me restaurants. First there was a lunch at Larry’s Burgers, in the wonderfully named Larry’s Plaza on Holt Boulevard in Montclair. I knew this could be trouble when I passed a haunted looking woman at the pay phone who had a bare midriff and several unsightly rolls of loose belly skin. Moments later I saw the B grade in the restaurant window. My burger combo actually wasn’t bad and the clientele made for amusing people-watching…but I’m not going to hurry back.

Then there was Bowl House on Third Street in La Verne, where my curry chicken bowl was the least appetizing I’ve ever had. It almost looked like bone-in chicken, big fatty pieces of it, skin-on.

To salvage the week, on Thursday, a day off, I impulsively decided to try Angel’s Place, a Greek restaurant I’d spotted on my Bowl House misadventure. Angel’s opened in October, replacing Nick’s Place and a dry cleaner.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner, mostly Greek but with some American favorites judiciously sprinkled in. Pastrami, burgers and steak sandwiches? Hmm.

But it’s got a casual, cheerful atmosphere and table service to boot. I had a chicken souvlaki sandwich ($5.99) and a side salad ($4). A bit too liberal with the tzatziki sauce, but it was a good sandwich: chicken and diced tomatoes on pita bread.

One quibble: The staff could be more clear on whether the side choices are free or not. I was asked “french fries, no fries or salad” but had to pay extra for the salad, and pay the same price for the sandwich as if I’d had fries. I’d have had fries and a salad if I’d known I was essentially paying for both.

People on Yelp are conflicted about Angel’s Place. I liked the feel of it and the staff was friendly. Several items on the menu, especially some of the salads, piqued my curiosity. It may not be as good as Athen’s Gyro House in Upland, but I expect I’ll go back.

You also said grinder haven on holtr was great is terrible im from west philadelphia it terrible subway is bettet i hate to say it. grinder haven was the worst hoaie i ever ate and i have eaten thousands over my 57 years on this earth . You want a good hoagie to go Sonnies in Limrick Pa. now that a sanwhich i give the grinder haven a 0 rating the new owners have alreadu ruin it it cannot get any worst them it is now

[OK, but it’s tough to get to Limrick, Pa., on a lunch hour. — DA]

K

Yeah, well, I don’t really trust Yelp at all — it often seems characterized more by folks with a desire to tell me how cool their favorite joint is (and, by extension, how cool they are) than by folks who are serious about their food. Of course, I’m not ready to claim that I fall in the latter camp, especially since I really enjoyed Grinder Haven.

I wouldn’t know a hoagie from a hole in the ground, but I sure enjoyed the meatball sub. The meatballs were actually mild chorizo, which just rocked. I’m sure that if you grew up with meatball subs back east, this is just a sad and disappointing shock, but it was a fun and new taste for me.

[Yeah, I don’t know from East Coast subs either. But I like Grinder Haven, the food and what it represents. Not sure it’s as good as it was even two years ago but it’s still fun. It’s 50 years old this year, by the way. As for Yelp, I find the reviews helpful, funny and cranky. Past regulars who return always think a place has gone downhill. Wait, didn’t I just say Grinder Haven may have slipped a notch? — DA]

Lisa

Hi David, I really enjoy your blog and look forward to all the new restaurants and your reviews. My husband and I are always looking for a new place to try on the weekends and your advice really helps and steers us clear of some places. Anyways, good job! Have you ever tried Stevie Dee’s in Rancho Cucamonga off of Vineyard? Check it out sometime when you are in the area. Take care.

[I tried Stevie Dee’s a couple of years ago. The housemade soup was impressive and my fish sandwich hung off the sides of the bun. Glad you find this blog helpful, Lisa. — DA]

About this blog

A roundup of news, history, food, travel and cultural items from around the Inland Valley.

About this blogger

A journalist for nearly 30 years, David Allen has been chronicling the Inland Valley for the Daily Bulletin since 1997 and blogging since 2007. His first book, "Pomona A to Z," was published in 2014.
E-mail David here. Read recent columns here.